Alfred A. Knopf, $16

Review by Nancy Matson

July 2, 1999
Web posted at: 2:52 p.m. EDT (1852 GMT)

(CNN) -- In all of the gang-ridden part of Los Angeles where 15-year-old Kata lives, there is one person who cares about her, and that's her best friend, Ana. Together they make one whole person, and they dance as one when they appear at local competitions as Outrageous Chaos. With their saucy little matching outfits of satin bras, five-inch heels and flowers in their hair, they are envied by the girls and pursued by the guys.

Everything changes when, after they dance together one night, Ana confesses to Kata that she's pregnant, and that same night is gunned down in a drive-by shooting. Instead of hitting the ground immediately when the Monte Carlo goes by, Ana stands there, a seemingly willing target, confirming for the last time why she was given the street name of Chancey for taking such stupid chances.

Kata is lost without her Ana, and there's no one to talk to about it. Kata's mother is either lost in an alcohol haze or focused on one of her many unspectacular boyfriends. Kata finds it intolerable to hang out with the rest of her gang now. How can she watch Pocho, who was Ana's guy, move on so quickly to other girls? Hanging out by L.A. River drinking forties just isn't fun anymore. Even Kata's man, Kikicho, walking on crutches since a previous drive-by, can't reach her.

With the help of Pocho, Ana goes on a mission of vengeance to kill the guy who killed Ana. But Pocho's set her up -- he leads her to Raul who, upon finding out who Kata is, asks her about Ana and where he should meet her. Raul falls apart when Kata tells him Ana's dead -- he loved her and was the father of her baby. He wasn't the guy who killed her. When Raul's homies see Kata pull out her gun in confusion, they fire and Kata fires back. By the time they make their escape, Kata and Pocho don't even know if they killed anyone.

Kata realizes she's got to quit the gang or nothing's going to improve. Kikicho announces he and one of the other gang members are going to join a program that encourages kids to stay away from the life. Even Kata's mother is trying. She stops her drinking, and Nando, the one decent boyfriend she's had, starts showing up. But the real healing comes when Kata begins to dance again, without Ana by her side, and still feels that old magic.

"Party Girl" focuses on a group of teen-agers not often seen in young adult novels, and this alone makes it notable. Although it's surprisingly lacking in tension and suspense for a book that covers this type of subject matter, its sheer readability and polished prose should appeal to both teen-age and adult readers.

Nancy Matson is the author of "The Boy Trap," a juvenile novel from Front Street/Cricket Books that comes out this fall. Visit her Web site, which features book reviews, lesson plans and a monthly column.